Checkrein-holder.



P. AI MATTHEWS.

CHEGKREIN HOLDER.

APPLIGATION FILED xTAIL-25, 1910.

984,580.v Patented Ff 10.21,1911`l 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. A. MATTHEWS.

CHBGKREIN HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED Im. 25, 1910.

' 984,580. Y Patented Feb.21,1911.

z sHEBTs-SIIEBT 2.

STATES FRANK ALLEN MATTHEWS,

a. seien.

OF EUREKA, CALIFORNIA.

CHECKREIN-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

.To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK ALLEN MAT- Tnnws, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eureka, in the county of Humboldt and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Checkrein-Holders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in check rein. holders and has for its object to provide a very simple device of this character whereby the check rein may be quickly released from the hook or holder orsecured in the same.

Another object is to provide a check rein hook formed in two hingedly connected portions, means being provided -upon the saddle seat for holding said hook in its closed position whereby the accidental release of the check rein will be eifectually prevented.

A further object is to provide a bifurcated block or base adapted to receive the end of the hook, spring-held sliding dogs being mounted on said base and adapted to engage y with the hook, and means for actuating said dogs to release and o 3en,the hook.

Vith these and ot ier objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a check rein holder embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 the hook being shown in eleva-tion; Fig. 4L is a horizontal section showing the sliding holding dogs, the hook being open; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. G is a detail perspective View. of one of the spring-held pressure levers, and Fig. "7 is a similar view of one of the sliding locking dogs.

Referring to the drawings, 5 indicates the saddle seat which may be of any approved construction. On the outer attenuated end of this saddle seat a base block 6 is secured by means of the screw 7 which extends through the seat and has threaded engagement in the block. This block is formed with a central bifurcation 8 and is transversely extended at its upper outer portion to form the cylindrical sleeves 9. Within these sleeves the dogs 10 are transversely movable and have their inner ends beveled or inclined toward each other, as shown at 11. Each of these sliding dogs is provided adjacent to its inner end with a slot 12 which receives a projection lil formed upon the end of each of the pressure levers 14E. These levers are disposed upon seats l5 formed in the base block (3 and are pivoted thereon by means of the screws 1G which have threaded engagement in the block. The pressure levers are preferably curved as shown and are formed upon their outer ends with the circular finger plates 17, by means of which the levers may be conveniently grasped and actuated as will hereinafter appear. The sleeves 9 are, of course, also provided with elongated slots 18 to receive the projections la of the levers through which they project into the slots 12 of the holding' dogs. The pressure levers 14e are normally disposed as shown in Fig. 2 wherein the locking dogs 10 have their inner beveled ends disposed in engagement with each other. The levers 14 are held in this position by means of a heavy wire spring 19. As shown this spring is centrally coiled between its ends, as shown at 19, and has its extremities secured to each of the levers 14 adjacent to their pivotal points. Thus the spring act-ion of the end portions of the spring 19 will retain the pressure levers in their separated positions against accidental inward movement, thereby securely holding the dogs 10 in their locking positions.

The check rein hook is formed in two sections 20 and 21 which are hingedly connected, as shown at 22. The section 20 is secured at its inner end to the saddle seatI 5 by means of the screw 23, while the hinged section 21 has its free end curved reversely to the major port-ion thereof, as shown at 24:, and formed with a spherical termination This curved extremity 24 is adapted to be positioned in the central bifurcation 8 of the base block 6, and when so disposed the locking dogs 10 are engaged over the same and effectually .prevent its inadvertent release or opening. To thus lock the hook it is unnecessary to manipulate the pressure levers 14, as thel hinged section may be swung downwardly upon the oppositely inclined inner ends l1 of the locking dogs, and the engagement of the curved end 24 thereof will force the locking dogs transversely from each other in the sleeves 10 to permit of the check hook being disposed in the bifurcation S to lock the check rein therein. From reference to Fig. 5 it will be noted that after the hook has been thus locked to the saddle tree, the extensions 14 of the pressure levers are engaged against the inner ends of the recesses l2 in the locking dogs, the spring 19 yieldingly holding the levers in such position and preventing any movement whatsoever of the locking dogs from the exertions of the animal and eii'ectually preventing every possibility of the release of the check rein from the hook. The check rein may, however, be instantly released when desired by engaging the finger pieces 17 with the thumb and forelinger and pressing them inwardly toward each other. This action will move the locking dogs l0 outwardly against the tension of the spring arms to the positions illustrated in Fig. 4, when the hinged member 21 of the check hook may be readily lifted and thrown outward to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. In this manner when it is desired to permit freedom of movement of the animals head when it is drinking, the device may be very quickly actuated to release the check rein, and it may also be readily locked in the hook by simply placing the check rein in the hinged hook section and throwing the same down upon the inner ends of the locking dogs 10.

From the foregoing it will be seenthat I have provided a device of comparatively simple construction which may be very quickly operated and is highly efficient in use. It is also durably constructed, of great utility and may be produced at a minimum cost.

While the construction shown and described discloses what I believe to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that numerous minor modilications may be resorted to within the scope of the claims without materially departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

The saddle seat 5 may be attached to the harness in any desired manner, and as such attaching means forms no part of the present invention, it is therefore not shown and described, its construction being well known in the art to which the invention appert-ains.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

l. A'device of the character described comprising a hook formed in two hinged sections, transversely movable spring actuated locking dogs disposed in the same plane and movable in opposite directions, said dogs-being adapted for engagement with each other over one of the hook sections to close said hook, the opposed ends of the dogs being beveled for engagement by said hook sections, and a pivoted lever associated with each of said locking dogs to move the same and release the hook section whereby the hook may be opened.

2. A device of the character described comprising a stationary hook section and a movable section pivoted thereto, the free end of said movable section being reversely curved, a centrally bifurcated base adapted to receive the free end of said pivoted hook section, transversely movable locking dogs engaging over said movable hook section to secure the hook in closed position, and spring held actuating members cooperatively associated with said dogs adapted to yieldingly hold the dogs in locking position.

3. A device of the character'described comprising a hook formed in two sections, the outer hook section being pivotally movable in a vertical plane, a centrally bifurcated base adapted to receive the free end of said pivoted hook section, sleeves integrally formed with said base, locking dogs transversely movable in said sleeves having their inner ends beveled inwardly toward Veach other, and spring-held pressure levers pivoted on said base cooperatively Vassociated with said sliding dogs, the free end of the pivoted hook section being adapted to be engaged upon the beveled inner ends of said dogs to force the same outwardly against the holding action of said levers to position the free end of said hook section in the bifurcated base.

4. A device of the character described com-l prising a hook formed in two sections, the outer section of said hook being movable on the other of said sections, a bifurcated base adapted to receive the free end of said movable hook section, sleeves integrallyformed with the base upon opposite sides of the bifurcation, locking dogs transversely movable in said sleeves, said dogs having longitudinal slots adjacent to their inner ends, pressure levers pivoted on said base having extensions engaged in said slots, and a spring disposed betweensaid pressure levers and engaging therewith to normally hold the inner ends of the movable dogs in engagement Vwith each other, the free end of the movable hook section being adapted to force said dogs outwardly against the tension of the spring to position the end of said hook section in the bifurcated base to close the hook.

In testimony' whereof I hereunto ax my signature in the presence of two witnesses. FRANK ALLEN MATTHEWS. Witnesses:

HENRY P. WINTER, ERNEST C. MATTHEWS. 

